Image Credits: Reuters
Japan has announced plans to welcome 100 Ukrainian university students over the next five years, as well as up to 10 Ukrainian researchers. This move is part of a broader aid initiative aimed at supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction and fostering deeper educational and scientific cooperation between the two nations.
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Masahito Moriyama revealed the plan during the inaugural meeting of a joint committee established by Japan and Ukraine in Kyiv on Monday. The committee, formed as part of the recent memorandum of understanding signed at the Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction in Tokyo earlier this year, signifies a deepening of bilateral relations focused on education and research.
Under the new program, Japan will cover the full cost of education and living expenses for 20 Ukrainian students each year, totaling 100 students over the five-year period. This initiative aims to provide Ukrainian youth with educational opportunities and to strengthen the ties between the two countries amid ongoing reconstruction efforts in Ukraine.
Additionally, Japan will invite up to 10 Ukrainian researchers to serve as foreign research fellows with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science over the next two years. This move is expected to enhance academic collaboration and contribute to Ukraine’s scientific community.
Beyond educational support, Japan is also planning to translate and publish tens of thousands of Japanese picture books into Ukrainian. This initiative, coupled with plans to provide educational materials and aid for school facility restorations through UNICEF, underscores Japan’s comprehensive approach to supporting Ukraine.
Minister Moriyama’s visit to Ukraine marks the fourth high-level Japanese delegation to visit since the onset of the conflict, following Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, and Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa. This continued diplomatic engagement highlights Japan’s commitment to aiding Ukraine and reinforces its role in the international community’s efforts to support Ukrainian reconstruction and resilience.